Combination fuse panel change

[SamC]

Can a existing 100A comb fuse panel be used as a J box if the interior is gutted? If it can, are wing nuts the way to go? or are TB's required?
Thanks in advance
SamC

[twh]

No, because of Rule 2-024: "Electrical equipment used in electrical installations ... shall be of a kind or type and rating approved for the purpose for which it is to be employed."

[chrisd]

Ive done it many times. Have never had a rejection. Just make a new cover or screw some sheet metal over the holes. It wouldn't surprise me however if there were some inspectors ignorant enough to enforce an approved equipment rule. I wish there was mandatory sensibility training for those types.

Chris

[bigrockk]

I have to agree with Chris.
I have done this as well and never had a problem.

I have always used wing nuts...no problem there
either.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 31, 2002 08:20 PM: Message edited by: bigrockk ]</font>

[twh]

Sheet metal can arc through and spew molten metal over flammable material that may be in front of the make-shift junction box. That's why we use approved equipment.

[bigrockk]

I don't understand your point TWH, J.Boxes,
outlet boxes,octagon boxes,service panel etc.
are all made of sheet metal.
Hopefully a breaker trips long before molten metal is spewed anywhere??

[twh]

There would be a kind and gauge of metal that would be safe. It's beyond my training to make those choices. Further, it's outside the inspector's jurisdiction to approve my choices.

We need definite rules to follow, so we will know whether our choices are acceptable; and, we need all electricians to follow those rules. If we let our standards slip, we will find our customers hiring the electrician who will break the most rules, because they can save money. I can give examples of what journeymen electricians thought was acceptable;

half inch rigid conduit supported every 20 feet,

a one and a quarter inch EMT supported from that conduit, by tywraps,

parallel breakers on lighting circuits,

a conduit with one wire (a neutral) pulled into it, because the hot was already there - fed from a different panel,

a splice pulled into a conduit,

R90 wire pulled into a cable tray,

a fuse block changed because the control circuit kept blowing the fuse and the electrician couldn't get a glass fuse large enough to hold,

and I could go on.

My point is that electricians can make really bad decisions, and inspectors don't catch everything. I know that, if electricians are allowed to fabricate their own junction boxes, someone will use aluminum foil and the inspector will be powerless to correct it. I haven't seen an aluminum foil cover, yet; but, I have seen a duct tape cover.

[chrisd]

Must be a 800A service in that house.


&gt;Hopefully a breaker trips long before molten &gt;metal is spewed anywhere??

[bigrockk]

This is getting to be a bit ridicules. What about COMMON SENSE!!
If it is good enough to be used as a 100 Amp Combo panel then it sure as **** is good enough for a splice box!!!
When an Electrician takes out a permit and has his work inspected by the authorities
he is abiding by the rules!
Using a old service combo panel as a splice box is not a ridiculous little trick but a fairly
common practice that posses no danger to people or equipment. As long as you have an inspector?s approval there is no reason not to save your customer some money by utilizing the old combo panel.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 03, 2002 11:41 PM: Message edited by: bigrockk ]</font>

[syd]

When a license is issued to an electrician, he has a responsibility to abide by the rules and to make the proper decisions on the job.Just like any responsible person in any job. These guys who do these rediculous little tricks should not be licensed and it is our responsibity to catch these guys.Many " on the job" decisions must be done with all that in mind.You should be proud of the job you do!